Clause 8 - Guidance
Export Control Bill
10:30 am
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham, Liberal Democrat)
We have enjoyed a light diversion, but there is an important point behind it. How would such a case, albeit an exotic one, be dealt with? My understanding is that under the Bill, the Government would have temporary powers and the matter could then be referred to Parliament. They would not be obstructed by the changes that we are considering.
I was intrigued that the Minister did not, in his answer, use any arguments that Ministers have previously employed in trying to justify lack of affirmative action. Affirmative action has repeatedly been considered in the responses to the Green Paper, the White Paper and the draft Bill and by the Quadripartite Committee. On those occasions, Ministers repeatedly argued that they did not want to impose too much of a burden on Parliamentary business, in saying that they did not want an affirmative approval process. The Minister did not use that argument today, so I hope that he has absorbed the response that parliamentarians gave to that ministerial excuse: that Parliament is the best judge of how to use its own time. I note that the Minister has advanced a little way beyond the arguments that the Government have given in the past for refusing to allow an affirmative approval process.
I heard a very helpful phrase in the Minister's comments: that the Government are ``giving approval'' to accountability. I interpret that present participle as active, meaning that the Government are currently thinking about how to improve accountability in the Bill. Perhaps on Report there will be a slightly different text. I hope that my optimistic interpretation is correct and that the Government are still thinking about the matter and might come back with better drafting that will meet many of our concerns.
Given that we have had a good cross-party consensus about some of the matters that we have discussed, I do not see any advantage in pressing the amendment. I hope that when we reach the next stage of parliamentary deliberation there will be some Government amendments to meet my concerns. In that spirit, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
The Chairman, being of the opinion that the principle of the clause and any matters arising thereon had been adequately discussed in the course of debate on the amendments proposed thereto, forthwith put the Question, pursuant to Standing Orders Nos. 68 and 89, That the clause stand part of the Bill.
Question agreed to.
Clause 8 ordered to stand part of the Bill.